Lost Hope
by Mystic Milli
Summary: Goku's death on Namek was final and permanent. The restrictions of the Dragon Balls won't allow his return. Now, the Earth is left to be defended by the remainder of the Z-Fighters. However, another turn of events soon makes it even harder to keep the Earth safe from threats. Will they be able to prevail in the end?
1. Chapter 1

_**A/n: Hello everyone, xXMystic-HopeXx here with the edited version of the beginning of this new story. Alright, a few years ago…actually 6 years to be exact, I started a story where Goku did in fact die on Namek; leaving Gohan and Vegeta as the strongest warriors. Well, I lost the notebook I wrote it in and even after I found it, well, it disappeared again on me a little while ago. It was seriously one of my first works I started on when I really got interested into fanfiction. I thought I should bring it back out…from scratch of course, to let you guys read. I terminated that other story already. I think it was in a sense, leading me back to the idea I enjoyed writing about. Anyway, it bothered me how in the anime where he 'died' on Namek, but showed how he escaped Frieza's ship after returning. I don't hate Goku or anything, but it's just one of those things. So, here's the start of my version of what happens after he dies. Enjoy.**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or the franchise which is owned by Akira Toriyama**_

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_**Chapter 1**_

_**His Death**_

The once beautiful planet of Namek is now in complete turmoil. The darkened skies filled with rage boomed thunderously and lightning struck the destroying land. Molten lava erupted from the ever growing cracks into the air above. Each second that passed, the ferocity of the destruction skyrocketed tenfold. The planet was dying and there was no avoiding it. Not even the most powerful warrior in the universe would have been able to deflect a blast which caused the countdown to detonation.

What led up to this point exactly?

The group of humans Gohan Son, Krillin, and Bulma Briefs ventured off to Namek after the battle against the saiyans to resurrect their friends lost in battle. Unfortunately, things turned for the worst as they discovered Vegeta journeyed there as well, not to mention a wicked tyrant by the name of Frieza. Both villains wanted to use the Namekians set of Dragon Balls to wish for immortality in order to rule the universe. The race for the Dragon Balls began, but due to a great foils of plans on both Vegeta's and Frieza's part, the earthlings used the chance to revive Piccolo and Kami by extension to regain their Dragonballs.

However, the ruthless Frieza launched his own attack against the Earthlings and Vegeta. Each one held their own until Frieza went into his final transformation: killing both Dende and Vegeta. All hope was lost then until Goku appeared to save the day after recovering from previous injuries against Frieza's henchman Ginyu. The two engaged in an arduous battle until Goku resorted to the Spirit Bomb to defeat Frieza, which was thought to have worked perfectly, only to find out he survived and killed Goku's best friend Krillin. The death of his friend caused the normally peaceful saiyan to boil in sheer anger, transforming into a super saiyan.

The two continued on in their fateful battle. As the two clashed, Shenron was called upon to revive all who were killed by the hands of Frieza and his men and transport everyone but Goku and Frieza to Earth. As the battle kept going, and Frieza found himself losing to the very being he avoided to come into existence, used his Planet Destroyer attack to annihilate both the wretched monkey and Namek. Eventually, the tyrant lost even after he was allowed to have a second chance, but refused to acknowledge Goku's offer. All that was left was for Goku to escape his eminent doom.

Now, as Namek came frightening close to exploding, the Earth-raised saiyan attempted to use Frieza's spaceship to flee the planet. However, the ship refused to start up, possibly due to the damage previously caused by Vegeta. This angered him even further, and as the ship fell towards the river of lava, he quickly escaped to the surface and floated in mid-air. With no time left, the saiyan yelled in frustration as Namek blew up into pieces, killing him in the process.

Back at King Kai's, the blue god dropped to his knees, saddened by the outcome, "It can't be. Not again."

The Z-fighters' eyes widened. Not again? Did that mean Goku has died again? No! He was only just revived not that long ago, and now he was dead again?!

"King Kai, are you saying that Goku's dead?" Yamcha asked hesitantly. He received only a distraught nod from his master.

"Can't the Nameks bring him back with their Dragon Balls?" Chiaotzu asked.

The blue master raised his body from the ground after another moment of silence. He turned his attention to his new students, holding a grim expression, "I'm afraid not Chiaotzu. Even though Porunga can revive someone more than once, he can only return the body to the place of death. Since Goku has died on Namek and the others tried to wish him back…"

"Then he'll be brought back to life in the place where Namek used to be and die again," Tien said finishing King Kai's statement.

"That's exactly right Tien," he said approvingly, though quite saddened. "And we all know Shenron can only revive the same person once. Besides…I don't think the Namekian Dragon Balls will be of use to anyone now."

"Bummer. I can't imagine how Gohan and Chi-Chi will handle the news," Yamcha commented quietly.

King Kai released a heavy sigh. He was quite angered by the fact Goku went up against Frieza against his wishes, but he did help save his friends and son, and also the universe from becoming entirely controlled. In the end, he only died protecting the ones he loved once again. It was no stopping a saiyan from fighting and he could say Goku died an honorable death. Now it was time for the heartbreaking part of announcing Goku's death to his friends.

On Planet Earth, while Goku's friends and Vegeta were awaiting the results of the onslaught between Goku and Frieza, the Namekians gathered around the grand elder of their planet, Guru, weeping before he passed on. He passed on the position of Grand Elder over to Moori, using the rest of his strength. However, before he could allow himself depart; he needed to give his children words of encouragement and bad news, "My children, as you have noticed, the Dragon Balls have not followed me to this location. I am afraid they were unable to depart our home before its destruction. Do not let this loss discourage you any further. I want you all to continue living peaceful lives and prosper because the future has great things in store…for you."

His breathing ceased and soon, his body vanished into thin air. The Namekians mourned for their elder, even Bulma was shedding her own tears. Gohan watched on in silence as the memory of his first meeting with the late Namekian, "_Even after all that we've been through."_

Piccolo said his few words, but Dende realized that Nail merged his life force to him. As the mourning ceased among the other Namekians, Moori joined them in prayer.

"Man, what a tearjerker," Bulma commented. "Now we can't bring Krillin or Chiaotzu back."

"Yeah, since the Dragon Balls can only revive a person once," Gohan added.

Dende turned his attention to the conversation between the half-saiyan and blue haired genius, "What are you talking about? There has never been such a limit on the Dragon Balls for our planet. You could bring someone back as many times as you wanted, unless they died naturally of course."

"What really?!" Bulma questioned shocked by the information.

"Yes, but I'm afraid since the Dragon Balls didn't come back, we won't be able to help you revive your other friends," Dende commented sadly. "We can create a new set in 100 days, but when they are created, they are attuned to the universe. In other words, they are attuned to that particular world. Whatever has happened before they're brought into existence, they can't undo what has already happened. Believe me, if there was a way to bring back your two friends, we would."

"It's okay Dende, we'll…figure something out," the half-saiyan stated. Right now, he was more concerned about his father. They didn't know of the details of his father's outcome against the battle against Frieza. He wanted his dad to come home so their family can finally live in peace again since the whole Raditz incident. No matter what happened, how dangerous the situation, he had always come to the rescue and save the day. He didn't want to see his dad go so soon. He died trying to protect him, but what's the point if you are unable to return to your family. He already knew if his dad died this time, it was game over. The young boy only wanted his father back at home safe, but the hope was quickly shot down.

"Hey guys, I have some good news and…horrible news," Yamcha's voice said sadly, using King Kai's telepathy to speak with the group.

Everyone gulped in apprehension, scared to ask about either of the news. This could be one of the cases where the good news coming second wouldn't even matter to their emotions. Yamcha took the silence as 'good news first' and continued on, "Well, good news is that Frieza is gone, so he can't harm no more innocent lives in the future."

The tension rose in the area, mainly among the friends of Goku and the arrogant saiyan prince. Piccolo kept a calm demeanor, but he already knew what was about to be said. He didn't want to say it to the kid or Bulma, but he already figured this was the last time they would ever see of Goku. Gohan's heart dropped when he didn't hear his father's name mentioned anywhere in the sentence. Bulma felt a tear form in the corner of her eye, somewhat broken by the deity's unsaid words. Vegeta, much like Piccolo, knew what was coming, but he was now infuriated by the fact his rival was now dead.

Another tense silence filled the atmosphere, and soon the former bandit delivered the set of unwanted news, "The bad news…is… Goku didn't make it. Namek blew up before Goku could escape. He tried using Frieza's ship, but it was too heavily damaged to start up. When he realized it was too late, he accepted his fate as the planet exploded."

Vegeta immediately stood to his feet and yelled out in frustration, "Preposterous! What kind of fool do you take me for?! There were at least _**five **_pods near Frieza's ship that worked perfectly fine and you mean to tell me that not one caught his sight?!"

"There was no time Vegeta!" he yelled furiously. "When the ship was trying to start, the pods had already fallen into molten lava and Frieza's was next. I'm just as bothered by this as you are, but there's no helping the situation by complaining. Goku died protecting his son, friends, the Nameks, and practically the entire universe from a horrible monster. Just be grateful you're alive."

The saiyan prince growled in anger. First, Kakarot defeated him in battle on his first trip to Earth and had the audacity to spare his life. Then, he stripped him of the glory of becoming the legendary super saiyan which he dreamed of obtaining. That right belonged to him alone, but somehow he managed to attain it defeat the lizard he despised to the very core. A third-class weakling humiliated him by completing these acts and now he was dead! How was he going to surpass Kakarot now and show him he was the stronger warrior before killing him himself?!

On the other hand, Gohan was truly heartbroken by the matter. Not only would he be able to see Krillin anymore, but his dad as well, _"We went all that way for almost nothing. We were only supposed to be bringing back all of our friends, so we could come home together. In the end, we lost Krillin and dad before any celebrations could be made. Mom is going to be so sad when I tell her. I don't think I can even bring myself to do such a thing. I hate seeing her cry."_

"I'm really sorry for your loss Gohan," Yamcha continued in a calmer voice. "Try to keep your head up; Goku wouldn't want you crying. I'm sure he'll try to come back to King Kai's soon and get in touch with you and Chi-Chi."

"Thanks Yamcha," the half-saiyan said with a weak smile. The former bandit was right. He had to be strong, especially to help his soon grieving mother. His father died protecting all of his loved ones by remaining on a doomed planet to defeat an evil tyrant. As much as he wanted to cry his poor little heart out by the loss of his father, he simply wanted to avoid doing such a thing. Goku wanted him to be happy and continue enjoying life.

"And Bulma, I'll be seeing you soon," Yamcha added.

"I can't wait," she answered smiling. She was happy by the fact her on and off boyfriend can be wished back by Earth's Dragon Balls, but the feeling of loss about Goku saddened her greatly. She went through entirely too much with that man when he was a little boy and now he was gone for good. Life will simply be different without Goku living among them now; it just won't be the same. Also, poor Krillin; this was his second time dying as well, the first resulting from the appearance of King Piccolo. She looked to the sky, wondering about the future, "What are we going to do now?" She looked over to the Namekians. Until the Dragon Balls can be collected, they needed a place to stay. Fortunately, her place could occupy them since it wasn't too many, "Hey! Until we can figure something out, I want to invite you all to stay at my place." She turned her attention to Vegeta who was staring off into space, "And you can come too Vegeta. I'm a great cook and if your appetite is anything like Goku's you'll need one."

The saiyan stared at the woman, startled by her offer, but he didn't need an Earthling's pity. Unfortunately, he had no choice but to acknowledge her offer right now. He lacked a spaceship to escape this blasted mud-ball, so he would have to wait until one became available to him.

Bulma turned her attention back to the group of Namekians, waiting for their decision. The green aliens stared incredulously at the Earth female. They were not expecting her to offer up her own home to them, but they didn't want to impose on her. Moori spoke up for the group, "It is very kind of you to offer, but we do not want to be of any trouble to you."

She waved it off as nothing, "Really, it's no big deal at all. I have more than enough room to fit you guys in. What do you say?"

Moori continued to stare a bit shocked at the woman, but spoke anyway, "Well, if you insist…"

Bulma beamed bright at the response, "Great! Now, I just need to call my dad so he can come get us."

As she made the plans of getting the entire group to the city, Gohan joined his mentor's side, "Hey, Mr. Piccolo?"

"You gonna be okay kid?" the Namekian questioned. He knew the child was mourning on the inside at the loss of his father at such an early age.

"Yeah, I'm just worried about how my mom and I gonna get through this," he stated sadly. "It's not going to be easy."

The Namekian warrior nodded slowly, agreeing with his student, "You're right kid. Nothing is ever easy. All you can do is take it a day at a time. Just remember your dad sacrificed his life protecting you to lead a productive life and he'll always be there when you need to talk. "

"Thanks Mr. Piccolo," the young boy said. He looked to the distance in the direction of his home. He was _**not **_looking forward to informing his mother of the terrible news, but she was going to be just fine as long as he was there to comfort her.

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_**A/n: Alright, that's the end of the start of this story. I'll try to update this weekly along with "Twisted Realities," but it depends on my schedule honestly. Again, I don't hate Goku at all, but the scenes about Goku not escaping/escaping Namek has just always bothered me. Anyway, review the story. Tell me what you think—constructive criticism, anything you liked, didn't like, questions, etc. I'll be back later in the week with another update to "Twisted Realities."**_

_**~Until Next Time~**_

_**xXMystic-HopeXx**_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hi guys, after a few months of not updating this story, I am back. It took a long time for some reason to really get started writing, but once I did, it was smooth sailing once again. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z in any shape or form. It belongs to the one and only Akira Toriyama.**

**A/N 2 : I know you guys have already read this chapter, but I need to know your opinions about what story I should focus on more. The poll is up in my profile.**

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**Chapter 2**

**Adjust**

Gohan soared through the skies of his beloved home planet at a rather slow pace. The fact that he finally returned home from the Namekian world after a life-or-death adventure filled him with unending joy. Unfortunately, his initial happiness was short lived at the discovery of his father's death from his battle against Frieza, the Namekian elder's death, and the destruction of the Dragon Balls on Namek. These factors put together meant only one thing: his father is unable to return to the realm of the living. Since he died once before during the battle against Raditz and revived at the arrival of the saiyans, Shenron would not grant the same wish again. However, it meant Krillin and Chiaotzu could not return as well due to their deaths from prior events to his birth. Now the boy had to continue his life without the guidance of a father.

"Oh dad, why didn't you just come back to Earth with us?" he questioned. "You, mom, and I would've been able to be a whole family again."

The boy released a miserable sigh from his lips. He may have been sad, but it would be nothing compared to the reaction his mother will have. Knowing her quite well, she'd probably faint of shock and wake up in hysterics after the truth is confirmed. He truly hated seeing his mother in a depressed state. He literally died a little bit on the inside the last time she cried, but she was a strong woman. He knew that she would get over his death in due time.

"_Why couldn't I have a normal life? Why did Raditz have to show up? We wouldn't even be in this situation in the first place if it weren't for him. We lost so many of our friends in these battles and can't even wish some of them back…including my dad. And what if someone attacks Earth again before we can wish back the ones who can be revived? We're gonna be done for."_

He could feel the tears forming in his eyes; threatening for release. However, he quickly wiped them away, _"I can't cry. I need to be strong for both mom and dad. He wouldn't even want me crying over this. I have to get through this."_

While at one point the boy had been flying over a few towns and grass fields, he found himself flying over miles and miles of trees. He was getting closer to his home. As he viewed the scenery below, it made him happy that he at least made it back to Earth alive and well. Not only that, he had a home to return to unlike the unfortunate Namekians. They had lost their lives in the hunt for the mystical artifacts and even their entire planet. Now, it was required for them to search the universe for a new home similar to Namek so they can reside peacefully once again. Until the time came, they will be living with Bulma and her family at Capsule Corp.

Soon enough, a single home surrounded by trees slowly came into his view below. A large smile crept onto his lips as he came to the realization that he had arrived at his house. He descended quickly to the surface and as he came closer to the ground, he noticed a single figure, his mother, taking clothes down from the line. In no time he landed softly on the grass, a few yards away from his busy mother.

Apparently, she was too busy to notice his arrival, so he spoke up, "Hi mom, I'm back."

Chi-Chi froze in mid task. She knew that passive voice from anywhere; it belonged to her only baby boy. She focused her attention in his direction to meet the short form of Gohan. Were her eyes deceiving her? Had he finally returned from his little escapade to a faraway planet? She blinked once. Twice. He was still there displaying a grin identical to his father's and wearing odd clothing, but there was no denying it: her son had returned.

Her eyes welled up with tears, but nonetheless, she ran to her son. Before he had any time to react, she rapidly scooped him up into a bear hug the boy had no choice but to return.

"Oh my Gohan, you're back!" the widow cried. "I'm so happy you returned safe and sound! I missed you so much! Don't you ever leave me again!"

Gohan smiled warmly despite her usual actions, "I missed you too mom. Dad made sure he protected me once he got to Namek."

The Ox-Princess ceased her hysterics and set her son back on the ground. She examined the area, taking notice that her spouse's presence was lacking. The joy she felt at seeing Gohan again was immediately replaced by anger, "Where is your father? Did he make you fly all the way home by yourself?! The nerve of that man! How can he do this to his only son?! I bet he's with those friends of him when he should be here with his family after just getting back. When he walks in, he's going to get a piece of my mind."

All during her rant, she failed to notice the saddened expression on young Gohan's face. It never took very much to anger his mother, but it's pointless when the person you're disgusted with is dead.

"Mom, I have to tell you something," he said loud enough for her to hear.

Hearing his voice broke her rant. She returned her gaze to him, who she now noticed seemed to be a bit distressed. Her features soften, but in her mind, she vowed to get Goku when he came back. She kneeled in front of him once more, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Is something wrong sweetie? Did things not go well?"

"You can say that," Gohan answered sadly. "We managed to revive Mr. Piccolo, but everything went downhill afterwards. Frieza was real angry, but he killed Vegeta and then Krillin after we all thought dad beat him. Dad told me to leave and had everyone except them transported to Earth with the Dragon Balls. Before they finished their fight, Frieza used an attack that would cause Namek to explode." His voice became quieter and tears threatened to leave his eyes again, "Daddy beat him in the end….but he never got off in time. It exploded before he could find a ship. And the Namek Dragonballs didn't follow their creator before he died, so their gone too. They can make more, but they won't have any effect on what happened before they're created."

Chi-Chi could feel the tears ready to pour from her own eyes. She already knew deep down that her son's story was going to have a bad ending, but not so terrible. The Ox-Princess was stricken with grief. This was the second time she lost her husband within two years and it was permanent now. She knew the restrictions of the Earth's dragon, so he need not go any further in his explanation.

When they had got married, she constantly talked about living their days together until dying of old age, _"We were supposed to be a normal, happy family. I said I was going to stay home to keep things in order, Goku was going to __**try **__and get a job, and Gohan would become a scholar."_

She never imagined he would actually die in battle, long before his time had come. Now she was forced to live with only her son because she couldn't dare bring herself to marry another man…not yet anyway. With this information sinking into her mind, the widow did the one thing that naturally came to her at a time like this – she fainted.

Chi-Chi fell to the side, but before her body fully hit the ground, Gohan caught her. He stared at the unconscious form of his dear mother. He knew this would happen, but at least he was here to watch after her. One of the many tears escaped his eye, "I 'm sorry mom. I wish there was a way to bring dad back."

Now he had to bring her inside to her bed.

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Bulma watched from the sidelines as the Namekians get comfortable for the time being. They were all in the atrium, interacting with one another and the animals that lived in the habitat. It was the only place large enough to house them all until her father finished making preparations for them. Initially, the peaceful green aliens refused her offer of residing at her home, but she insisted they had nowhere else to go.

"_Man, it's such a bummer that Frieza destroyed their planet," _she thought to herself_. "They're so nice and calm that it's just a shame they were forced to endure all of this. I don't know how I would feel if Earth as gone and I had no place to go. At least we don't have to worry about that guy anymore."_

True, on the bright side, the evil tyrant was dead. However, it was at the cost of her two of her friends' lives. Krillin was killed out of spite and Goku remained on a dying planet in order to protect his friends, family, and an entire race from any further harm. Even though Piccolo and Kami were revived, like they had planned in the beginning, only a select few people can return instead of everyone who had already been revived once. Maybe it was for the best.

"_I guess this is a sign to stop relying on the Dragonballs so much," she figured. "We use them to fix everything rather than the biggest emergencies."_

"Ms. Bulma, may I ask if anything is bothering you?" the voice of Moori asked politely.

She snapped out of her thoughts and looked to the Namekian elder in surprise, "Oh, I didn't know you were there, but I'm just fine. I wish all this could've been avoided. You and your people didn't deserve any of this."

Moori shook his head and spoke, his voice grim, "It is quite alright my dear. We knew at some point an evil individual would seek our Dragonballs for personal gain. Guru created our set of Dragon Balls and if it weren't for his passing we could easily revive your friends."

"It's alright really," Bulma responded. "The Dragonballs will only lead to more trouble and another situation just like this one. Just using them to bring back Piccolo and our guardian Kami was enough. We'll use what we already have and be grateful of it. The guys knew battling aliens would be dangerous, but they accepted the fact, and understood that they might not all come back."

The Namekian elder smiled, "Wise thoughts of one so young. I truly wish there were more individuals who are not corrupt by evil."

"Yeah well, at least we have one less problem to worry about," she commented. "If it weren't for Goku and the others, Frieza would still be alive and immortal while we are all dead."

"We are very thankful of your efforts," the elder stated.

Bulma smiled gently at him, "It was no problem at all. Now we just have to find a new home for you guys."

He nodded slowly, "Until that time arrives, we thank you for your hospitality."

She waved it of as while letting out a bit of a chuckle, "Haha, don't mention it. It's the least I can do. Now if you don't mind, I have to check on my other house guest upstairs and see how daddy is coming along. If you need anything, just let me know."

Moori smiled and nodded once more as he watched the young woman leave to attend to her other tasks. He was truly grateful of the kindness the humans were showing his race.

Bulma walked through the halls of the large corporate building, heading to the second level. She released an exasperated sigh from her lips. She was mentally and physically exhausted from the adventure to Namek. Since their return to Earth, she had yet to take a nap or even sleep. She had been too busy trying to get the Nameks and Vegeta situated.

She reached the automatic door of her family's home and headed in to see her mother dusting the furniture.

"Hey mom," she greeted heading towards the couch.

"Oh hi sweetheart," Bunny responded cheerfully. "How are our guests settling in?"

The younger woman dropped onto the couch, enjoying the much needed comfort it brought, "They're okay so far, but it'll be better once dad gets everything ready. I just hope we can find them a new place out there somewhere."

"Aw don't worry Bulma," her mother said. "I'm sure you and ya' father will think of something."

"I know," she mumbled. A curious expression came across her face when she noticed someone was missing, "Oh yeah, where's Vegeta?"

The blonde woman giggled slightly as she continued in her daily duties, "He should be taking a shower dear. When he wasn't pay attention, I gave him new clothes and threw his old ones in the wash. He's probably gonna be angry, but he needed to be in something nice and fresh."

Bulma let out a huge yawn, the lack of rest catching up to her, "Good idea mom. He'll be alright."

Her mother gave a slightly worried look, "Why don't ya go take a nap sweet heart? I know you're tired from your long trip; you deserve it."

"I really should," she said releasing another yawn. This was her cue to follow her mother's suggestion. She stood from her seat and headed straight towards her room without another word. She would check with her father after waking up.

Meanwhile, Vegeta stood in the shower glaring daggers at the wall. He was angry; downright infuriated with the recent turn of events. Since the day he as handed over to Frieza, he plotted to escape his wrath and end his life. He wanted nothing more than to slay the conniving lizard by his hands alone, but Kakarot took that honor away from him.

"That third class fool has bested me once again" he growled furious. _"It was bad enough as it is that he humiliated me in battle when I first arrived on this piece of mud ball. Then he had the audacity to kill Frieza when it was I who planned on doing so. Worst of all, he literally transformed into the legendary Super Saiyan. How dare he take away my birth right! It was to be me alone to gain that power! He's nothing but a stupid clown who knows nothing about being a true saiyan warrior! How is he able to surpass me effortlessly when I have trained for years for the very day when that lizard fall by my hands?!"_

The saiyan prince slammed his fists into the wall, frustrated behind the mystery that is known as Kakarot. It was loathsome that Kakarot attained a form he only dreamed of achieving for himself. He had to know the secret. He would go to Other World and beat it out of him if it were possible. He was the prince of saiyans! It was his right to know the secret behind transforming.

"_I bet the gods are laughing at me right now. They are enjoying the torment they are putting me through. What more shall I suffer until I rise to the top and no one can stand up against me?"_

Then a thought appeared in his mind. Since Kakarot is dead, by default, he was the strongest warrior now. The fool was dead and he could no longer return. He cannot strip him of his status as an elite saiyan warrior any more. In a sense, he finally won. He could have the last laugh and the fool won't be able to do anything about it.

"You gullible fool. You allowed yourself to die before I could finish the task myself. You may have the ability to transform but what's the use of it if you're dead. I'll find out the secret for myself and with that power I can take over the universe."

A devious grin appeared on the prince's lips as he reached for the knob. Before long, he would gain that power; no questions about it. He opened the shower door and glanced to the table, only for his anger to return. Gone was his armor, but in its place were a purple button down shirt, a pair of blue pants, and boxers. A vein appeared on the side of his forehead and his eye began twitching as he held up the purple atrocity.

"What kind of mockery is this?" he questioned. "Does the woman really think she can make a fool out of me? Woman! Where are my clothes?! Do you expect me to wear these ridiculous garments?! Answer me!"

Sure enough, Bunny heard the furious shouts of the saiyan prince from the hallway. She entered into the room and stood by the bathroom door with a smile on her face, "I told ya I put some fresh clothes out for ya."

"Where are my clothes? I demand them at once!" Vegeta ordered angrily.

She scrunched her face a bit, recalling in how bad of a shape they were, "Sorry dearie, they're in the wash at the moment. You're just going to have to wait a bit. They really needed it."

"You're washing my armor?" Vegeta questioned in disbelief.

Bunny giggled once more, somewhat amused by the whole thing, "That's right. You can wear the clothes I gave you or wear nothing at all. It's your choice."

He glared at the garments that he was now forced to wear. He, the saiyan prince, was reduced to having to wear purple of all color. Does she really expect a male to wear this coloring of sorts? "How can these Earthlings wear such monstrosities? At least it's not pink or yellow."

The blonde female exited the room quietly, smiling to herself as she normally does. The adventures her daughter went on always resulted in meeting the most interesting of personalities, _"Vegeta, you have a lot to learn about the Earth. I have a feeling you're going to be around for quite a while."_

* * *

Back at the Son home in the Mt. Paozu district, Gohan was sitting quietly in his room. His mother had yet to wake up from her slumber. He couldn't blame her for acting the way she did. She worried about him and his father every single day during the year preparing for the saiyans and when they all traveled to Namek. She never had any idea if they would be able to come back to the house. She had every reason to attempt in clinging them to her. She didn't want to have to bear the sadness of losing her only family besides the Ox King.

"_I wish we didn't have to make mom worry all this time. I hope another threat pops up so I don't make the situation worse."_

"Gohan," his mother's voice called softly.

He jumped from his position and gazed at his mother, "Mom, you're awake. How're you feeling?"

"I'm feeling a little bit better now sweetie," she answered. The Son matriarch joined her son on the bed and sat next to him, "The news was a big shock to me. I'm going to miss your father terribly."

"I am too," Gohan agreed sadly. "I never thought we would end up in more danger by visiting another planet. I'm sorry for making you worry."

Chi-Chi pulled her son in closer to her body and rested her chin on his head, "Oh Gohan, you don't have to apologize for anything. You and your father were doing what you felt was right. It's my fault for not putting more trust into you. I only do it because I care and afraid that something terrible may happen while you're gone."

"I know…" he mumbled quietly. "I wish none of this happened to begin with…"

"Yes well, being family with your father had its risks," his mother admitted. "I knew from the beginning trying to have a normal life was out of the question. Your dad attracted a lot of trouble, but he always triumphed in the end to protect the ones he loves."

Gohan simply nodded. That was true. His dad used every ounce of his power to save everyone from Nappa, Vegeta, the Ginyu Force, and Frieza. No matter how impossible may have seemed to them, he found the strength to overcome his opponents and won the battles. He idolized his father because he was strong and always just how to cling on to hope. He wanted to be more like his dad. He wanted to stand up to his enemies without fear and prevent them from causing harm to anyone.

"Don't worry sweetie, we'll get over this soon," Chi-Chi comforted. "I know it's going to be hard, but just know he'll always be watching over us."

Chi-Chi felt her son trembling in his spot. She removed her chin from the top of his head and glanced down at his face. She could see the tears waiting to come out. The dark-haired woman pulled him in to her body all the way, allowing the boy to put his head into her clothes, finally allowing the tears to completely fall. She rubbed him gently on the back as he cried over the death of his father. This had been the first time in over a year that he could show that he was the five year old child he really was.

However, the two knew things would get better eventually.

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**A/N: Aww, I almost teared up when I was writing out the ending of this chapter. Oh and I hoped you liked the scene with Vegeta and Bunny. I'm extremely sorry that I took months to update but school and band amongst other things kept me from updating this story like I had wanted. I'm out for the summer so I should be able to update a bit during this break. I know I posted a few chapters to Twisted Realities and the beginning of a new story – Immortal – but that was to help get the gears flowing again. I thank everyone for the reviews, alerts, and favorites; they really keep me motivated to keep writing.**

**~Until Next Time~**

**Mystic ~**

**EDIT: I HAVE MADE A FEW EDITS TO THIS CHAPTER AND I HAVE ALSO POSTED A POLL IN MY PROFILE THAT WILL HELP ME DECIDE WHICH STORY I SHOULD FOCUS ON MORE OUT OF LOST HOPE AND IMMORTAL. YOUR VOTES WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey guys, this isn't going to be a long chapter at all. It's more of a transitional chapter and it was hard trying to write it, so here we go. This isn't up to my usual standards, especially since my heart wasn't in it all that much, but I did my best. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of the franchise.**

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**Chapter 3**

**Acceptance**

Once again, the Earth-raised saiyan found himself traveling the infamous path known as Snake Way. It was the second time within two years having to make his journey on the beast. The first time he embarked on the path happened after his death from battling his evil older brother Raditz. Kami pleaded the judge of all souls, King Yemma, to allow him to make the trip to receive training from King Kai in preparation of the saiyans. It took him half a year to even make it there due to his detours. For this particular occasion, it was due to the lack of time remaining when he defeated Frieza. However, there were two pros to the situation this time. For one, his speed increased greatly since his departure, so the amount of time needed to reach the end will be decreased. Not only that, he had his traveling buddy with him, Krillin.

Much like the old days, they were side by side braving the situation, by flying over it rather than running. While his comrade died before him, he still managed to catch up in no time due to his increased speed. From that moment, Goku though it best that they finished together as they can have a chance to talk since there hadn't been much down time after the battle against Vegeta.

"Man, I still can't believe we died again," Krillin stated glumly. "We went through all that trouble so we could wish everyone back and look what happens."

"Don't be that way Krillin," Goku said with his usual grin. Despite their current location and status, he always managed to keep an optimistic attitude. "At you guys managed to revive Piccolo, Kami, and all of the Nameks. Plus Gohan and Bulma are both safe back at home."

The former monk couldn't help but to smile himself. His best friend always cared more about the well-being of others than his own. That was one of the best things he admired about the Earth raised saiyan. He had to admit, he was glad that he met him all those years ago, "Well, I can't argue with that logic. The good thing is that they're all safe."

"Besides, Chi-Chi would never forgive me if Gohan was hurt," Goku added as he scratched the back of his head in his usual fashion.

"Or me," the shorter male responded. At first, he wondered how a grown male could fear his own wife, but then he spent a bit of time around her. She was actually very scary when provoked, especially when it came to her only son. He understood the fact that all she wanted was a normal life, away from all the craziness martial arts seemed to attract to Goku. He was practically attracted to nothing but trouble, but at least he was the victor in every ordeal. He figured she just didn't want her family dead or injured which explained her actions. "Anyway Goku, you mentioned something about transforming into a Super Saiyan. What was that about?"

A thoughtful expression appeared on the saiyan's face as he thought back to the events on Namek, "I'm not really sure myself. It's kinda hard to explain, but I'll do my best. You see, when I saw Frieza kill you, something inside of me snapped. The fact that he killed you without a second thought just angered me. There was nothing I could do to keep it from happening even after we all thought he was done for. Well, at that moment, it was like I needed to make him pay for all that he's done and avenge your death. I became consumed by my rage and looked for the power deep inside of me in order to defeat him. When I did, I transformed."

"Wow, that's amazing Goku," Krillin said in awe. He had never known his younger friend to get so worked up; not even when he was killed the first time by King Piccolo. "I didn't think you of all people would go ballistic."

"Yeah me neither," Goku responded chuckling. "I think what really sent me over the edge is the fact you had already been revived once and it wouldn't happen again. You guys mean a lot to me and I hate losing my friends."

"Same here," the former monk stated. "But hey, at least you beat Frieza. Either way, I am kind of worried about what's going to happen to Earth now that you're dead."

"What you mean?" he asked with genuine curiosity. "I mean, Earth should be safe now."

"Yeah, but you never know, someone else may use the chance to attack," Krillin pointed out. Sometimes he truly pondered what went on in his friend's skull. He tended to avoid looking at the big picture.

"You might be right about that, but I have confidence in everyone that's left," the saiyan responded smiling at the second part of his statement. "There's Tien, Yamcha, Piccolo, Gohan, and maybe even Vegeta."

Krillin paused in mid-flight causing Goku to do the same. The former monk looked at him as if he had grown two heads, shocked by the last name his friend called out, "Wait a minute. Did you just say Vegeta? Why would you trust him? Need I remind you he tried to kill us for the Dragon Balls and killed our friends?! He'll probably use the advantage of you being gone to wipe out Earth."

Goku smiled in response, "As many chances that he had on Namek, he didn't kill none of you. I really think Vegeta can change if you give him more time. Besides, it looked like when I got on Earth he was just standing on the side while his friend was doing all the attacking."

"True," Krillin said slowly knowing he couldn't argue with his point yet again. "Either way, I don't trust him right now, but I'll take your word and see what happens."

They began in their journey once more, though at a slightly faster speed. They did want to get to King Kai's as soon as possible to join the others. As they continued to fly, a thought hit Goku, "Hey, I got an idea. How about you grab onto me and I just go full speed to King Kai's. We'll be there in no time."

"No, you don't have to do that," his friend declined. "I'm only gonna slow you down; you can go on ahead and I'll just catch up."

"I'm not leaving behind you Krillin," Goku stated with a pout. "It'll be no problem…really."

"Fine, if you say so," the shorter male stated. He knew at this point there was no swaying the saiyan. Once he had his mind set on a task, he was going to do it; unless he was talking to Chi-Chi. He grabbed the saiyan's outstretched hand with a tight grip and before he knew it, Goku flared a white aura around his body and zoomed off into the distance with a trail of white following behind. All that could be heard was Krillin yelling Goku's name in protest.

_Hours Later_

Goku and Krillin, who had only recently released himself from the saiyan's grasp, came to a complete halt at the end of the path. All Krillin saw were more clouds stretching for miles on end and the tail of the snake. However, he noticed the lack of a planet where his friends and future teacher resided on.

"Hey Goku, what gives? There's nothing here," he stated.

Said martial artist grinned and pointed upwards to the sky above, "It's up there. You'll see it."

Sure enough, when Krillin's eyes followed Goku's finger, he spotted a small planet hovering overhead, "That's King Kai's place? It's kinda small, don't ya think?"

"Yeah, but it fits everyone," the saiyan stated. He began to make his descent into the air, but not before giving his comrade a piece of advice, "I should warn you though it's ten times Earth's gravity and he'll want you to tell him a joke to receive his training."

"That shouldn't be too hard," the bald man stated as he followed behind Goku.

As they reached the top of the planet, the two could see their friends Chiaotzu, Tien, and Yamcha sparring outside. As they made their descent, Krillin felt a force pulling him into the planet, causing him to quickly plummet into the ground while Goku landed gently as a leaf.

"_Just great,_" Krillin thought sourly to himself, as he proceeded to push against the gravity.

Their arrival was enough to catch the attention of their comrades, who ceased in their exercises. Each smiled and greeted Goku, clearly happy to see their friends.

"Hey guys," Goku said happily. "Long time no see."

"Hahaha, you can say that again," Yamcha replied chuckling. He hadn't seen his longtime companion since the wedding about six years ago, "We totally missed each other when the saiyans arrived."

"I know, I wish I could've gotten there sooner," Goku responded a bit gloomier.

"It's no big deal," the former bandit waved off. He couldn't be mad at someone who had no control over the events. It was his own fault for being so cocky in the first place that he winded up being killed.

"It's good to see you Goku," Tien stated, finally getting his greeting in. "Although, I wish it weren't under these circumstances."

"Hi Goku; I haven't seen you in forever," Chiaotzu said. "And it's good to see you again Krillin."

When he looked over, he saw the short human standing under the force of gravity pushing on his body. It looked as if he were to make one wrong move he would be back in the ground. He grinned knowing that they all went through the same thing upon their first arrival, until they became adjusted to it of course.

"This is tough," Krillin said straining to talk. He never felt a pressure such as this one.

"Don't worry buddy, you'll get the hang of it," Yamcha called over.

"I hope so," he muttered.

"Yeah, King Kai has a pet monkey named Bubbles who'll help you," Goku stated.

"How is a monkey gonna help me?" the former monk deadpanned. He had heard some pretty crazy things before, but this one takes the cake.

"You'll have to catch him," the saiyan answered. He remembered all too well of his first experience trying to catch the clever little ape. It took him forever, "He's really fast and hard to catch. I know it sounds kind of stupid, but it really works."

"Oh yeah, where's King Kai?" Goku questioned. It wasn't like him to be missing long, especially when he can tell when people are coming to his home.

"I'm right here Goku, and there's something you must all know," the blue kai said as he approached the group. When he came to a halt, he eyed the one who would be his new student then the saiyan. _"It seems I'm never without company these days."_

"I bet you're surprised to see me again, hahaha," Goku chuckled nervously.

The martial arts master released a sigh from his lips, "Of course I am. While I'm proud of you defeating Frieza, THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I TOLD YOU TO AVOID HIM AT ALL COSTS!"

The saiyan put his hands in front of him in a defensive manner, "I'm sorry King Kai, but I couldn't just let him hurt Gohan and the others. They needed my help. I had to do something."

King Kai regained his composure and continued speaking, "I understand that; really I do, although if you had gone to Earth you could've been with your family. They're planet was done for anyway and he would've died from the explosion. Anyway, that's not the only thing I wanted to say."

"What else is there King Kai?" Yamcha asked curiously.

"By going to Namek, there was the chance that ALL of you could be revived," he continued. "And that includes everyone who died twice, meaning Goku, Krillin, and Chiaotzu."

"I thought the Dragon Balls could only revive people once," Tien stated.

"Turns out, theirs were actually stronger," King Kai informed the group of fighters. "No matter how many times one died, Porunga could return those individuals to life. However, they were destroyed on Namek and while a new set can be created…it wouldn't affect those who died before the explosion."

"You mean I can't go back with Tien and the others?" Chiaotzu questioned sadly. He had known from the start, when he sacrificed himself fighting Nappa, his life was done for.

"I'm afraid so," he stated, sympathizing with the small man.

Once again, despite the gloominess of the situation, Goku displayed his usual grin, "That's okay King Kai. I'm just fine with that. I already knew I died again I'd just have to deal with it. Earth's gonna be in safe hands."

"Yeah, same here," Chiaotzu said, his demeanor flipping a one eighty. "I accepted everything that was coming a few months ago. While I'm going to miss everyone, especially Tien, I know I'll see you when your time comes."

"_This group can take bad news better than anyone than I ever met," _the blue comedian thought. "Now with that all cleared up, you're Krillin correct?"

"Yes sir," Krillin nodded.

A sly grin appeared on King Kai's lips as he proceeded to move on, "If you desire to train under me, you must tell me….a joke."

"Alright, this one will be sure to knock you off your feet," he responded confidently. "Well, there were these three guys who decided to go hunting…"

The other four merely watched on in Krillin's attempt to get the god to laugh. It had taken them a few attempts to see what made him crack. When they were sure he was coming to an end, they intently examined their teacher, "So the last guy came back with bruises. The other two guys asked him "where did he get those bruises from?' He said, 'I found the tracks, followed the tracks, got hit by a train."

The martial arts master stared blankly at the monk. This caused Krillin to think he had failed in the task and would have to think of something else to humor him; that is until he saw him cover his mouth to stifle a laugh. King Kai's poor attempt of hiding his laugh failed as he loudly burst into fits of laughter, going as far as falling on the grass, and hitting on it.

"Yes, I did it," Krillin said in triumph.

"Good job buddy," Yamcha stated, congratulating his comrade.

After a few minutes of incoherent talking between the master's laughing, he regained his composure and stood to his feet, wiping his face of sweat. "You passed my first test. Now, here's the first part of your training, catching the monkey. Oh Bubbles!"

"Oh ah ah ah," came the sounds of the pet monkey. He appeared before the group, dancing around and waiting the orders for his master.

"Run like the wind Bubbles," the master ordered. In no time, the monkey ran off before anything could be protested.

"_Wow, he's faster than he looks," _Krillin said, as he slowly trudged behind the primate.

"Good luck Krillin," Goku called out. He looked back to his teacher who seemed amused by his friend's task, "Hey King Kai, do you think I can contact Gohan and Chi-Chi?"

"Sure Goku, you know what to do and I'll reach you through," he said, turning his back to the saiyan.

_Son House_

Gohan and Chi-Chi sat at the table eating the breakfast. Even though the young half-saiyan had only just returned a day before and the absence of Goku was fresh in their minds, things went back to relatively normal. As they ate, Gohan was telling her bits of the adventure on Namek, that is, until a familiar voice appeared from nowhere.

"_Hi Gohan, hi Chi-Chi."_

Gohan couldn't believe it. It was his dad. He must've made it to King Kai's already, "Dad! Is that really you?"

"Goku?" the Son matriarch said questioningly.

"_Sure is."_

Chi-Chi didn't care about the fact he was talking to them from the dead, she could at least hear his voice again, "Oh Goku. Why'd you have to go and pull a stunt like this again?"

"_I'm sorry Chi-Chi, but I had to make sure Frieza was gone. I did try to leave, but none of the ships worked. Believe me honey, I really tried, but I guess fate had other plans."_

"Dad, I'm really going to miss you. It's not gonna be the same without you here," Gohan said as a tear escaped his eye.

"_I know Gohan, but everything is gonna be okay; I promise. You have to be the man of the house and help your mother with everything, okay. Also, try to keep up your training so you can protect her too."_

"I'll do my best," the Halfling responded. He looked carefully to his mother, knowing she would object to his father's request. Surprisingly, she didn't say anything which was a shocker to the young boy.

"_Chi-Chi I know you're against him training, but at least him from time to time."_

"He won't be doing that every day in the near future that's for sure," she stated authoritatively. She had learned when the boy insisted that he go to Namek for his adventure that he was his father's son. She couldn't deny him of wanting to take part in martial arts as it ran in his blood, "He needs to at least catch up on his school work first before he decides to go running off again."

Gohan couldn't believe what he had just heard and neither did Goku for that matter. She had always been so strict on the boy about keeping up his studies. What had changed her mind?

"_Also, Chi-Chi, I love you very much and wish I could be there with you. Gohan, the same goes to you too. I wish I had just a little bit more time."_

"It's fine Goku. I'm angry at you for dying on me again and leaving us, but at least you did it for us," Chi-Chi stated, feeling her own tears beginning to well up. "I don't know how I'm going to live without."

"_It'll be okay Chi-Chi trust me. I'll be sure to check up on you guys every chance that I can."_

"I'll be looking forward to it dad," Gohan said with a happy grin.

"_That's my boy. I have to get going now, so I'll talk to you guys later."_

"Bye dad/Goku," they said in unison.

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**A/N: Huh, that was actually kind of long. Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed another chapter of Lost Hope. I'm really considering changing the title to something different. I want to thank everyone for reviewing and putting this on their alerts list. I went back and did some edits on the other two chapters about the Dragon Balls. That was my mistake. Continue to review as they give me the motivation to keep going. I do love constructive criticism as well. Also, I have a poll in my profile about which story between this one and Immortal. I should focus on more. Just to let you know, whichever one receives fewer votes will be updated at least once a month. Be sure to at least read Immortal as well before making your decision. **

**Until Next Time!**

**P.S.: Don't Forget to Vote!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z in any shape or form. It is the property of Akira Toriyama, Toei Animations, and Bird Studios. I am only a fan who writes this for fun.**

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**Chapter 4**

**Student**

A long two months have passed since the death of Earth's greatest hero known as Son Goku. His noble sacrifice while battling against the evil Arcosian ruler allowed for tons of civilizations to be free of his control and saved the lives of the ones he held close to his heart. Since the return to Earth, it had been relatively quiet; at least for now. There hadn't been any signs of dangerous threats appearing from worlds beyond in attempts to extract revenge, retrieve the Dragon Balls, or obliterate the planet for petty reasons. Life gradually returned to normal and all hoped for it to remain that way; except for one that is.

The blue haired genius was hard at work in the spaceship. She was in the process of clearing out the remainder of the small kinks and bugs left in the spacecraft built by her father after her departure to Namek. While the need for its universal travel was very limited at this point, the main attraction was the artificial gravity machine built inside. She figured if Goku was able to gain immense strength in a span of one week during his journey to Namek, then it could be of great benefit to the others once they made their return.

One thing she knew about peace was the fact that it never last; not for long. In due time, she knew another evil would show its face and cause trouble to those involved, including the unsuspecting Earthlings. The planet was limited on defenses and should that particular occasion arise, all hope for victory would be forever lost. She wanted to ensure the worst possible scenario didn't come in the end and the guys could give the evildoers a run for their money. Since she was obviously not a fighter, she could use her brains to create inventions that can improve the chances of winning. After all, she refused to let down her best friend while he was dead. He had saved countless lives with his acts of bravery and heroism despite not even being a human. It was their turn, the humans, (and Piccolo) to defend the planet they were born on.

Bulma pushed herself from the jungle of wires in the bottom portion of the gravity machine and stood to her feet. As she placed the white covering over the compartment, she released a sigh of relief. "That should do it. Hopefully whoever uses it can really make full use of it now. It's not a surprise that daddy's been so busy lately that he couldn't finish it a long time ago. Then again, this ship had more problems than the one Goku traveled in."

She gave the interior of the upper portion of a ship a small examination. While it appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary ship, it could give the occupants a run for their money if they weren't too careful. It was designed to increase the gravity times 200 that of Earth's. Only the most seasoned warriors would be able to handle the intensity at each level. Should they make too large of a jump, their body will be forced into the red tile floor, crushing their bones until life faded fully or merely crush their bones. Either way, it ended in a scenario un-pleasurable to those intending to increase their strength.

The blue haired maiden grabbed her tool kit and slowly approached the door. As she began to exit the ship, she noticed an unmistakable figure standing at the end of the walkway with his arms folded across his chest and a scowl upon his lips.

"Oh hi Vegeta, what do you want?" she questioned in an unenthusiastic tone. Most days he approached her, he only barked some type of command for her to complete or a complaint, which seemed to be about every little thing. To say she had grown annoyed of the saiyan prince would be the understatement of the year. His bad attitude had been driving her nuts at least a week after she invited him to stay with her family. She couldn't understand how her parents could keep up the positive outlook whenever he was around. He was undeniably the most aggravating person she met in her entire life.

"Have you completed the ship?" he asked, making his approach to the doorway. He brushed passed he blue haired genius before she could even had a chance respond.

"_Why did I not see this coming?" _Bulma mused to herself. Another thing that bothered her during his stay was about how he wanted to leave from the wretched planet. At this point, she hoped he actually departed so he could stop annoying her. She followed him inside to see him standing before the machine. "The gravity machine will allow you to train under 200 times Earth's normal gravity for those rough sessions. If I were you, I'd start off small and work your way up. It may not look like much, one wrong move will have you crushed under its pressure and I'm sure you don't want that to happen."

Vegeta stopped listening by the time she said 200 times gravity. His obsidian orbs carefully analyzed the computer module that would to change the ship's settings for his training exercises. Not only did it have the gravitational settings, but also extra modes that could intensify it even further beyond. "_The genius behind this spectacular design was far more advanced than those idiots in the technology lab under that damned lizard." _

The saiyan prince knew if he trained in this ship, he could become stronger than even Kakarot at his time of death. It had everything he could possibly need in order to improve his abilities in defeating stronger opponents. At this stage, he highly doubted there were actually beings stronger than Frieza himself, but he needed to play the safe route for now until he could assure that belief. Then again, he knew of someone else that could possibly knew of two other warriors that could pose as much of a challenge as his former tormentor. He was quite sure that they could be hiding their true power levels in order to have kept the evil tyrant in the dark of their abilities.

When the time had come, he would make his journey into space and take out all the heads of the Planet Trade Organization. It had caused him enough hell being subservient to Frieza alone, he refused to permit others to attempt the same act. A small grin appeared on his lips as he thought of all the possibilities of using the gravity chamber. In a matter of time, he would become the strongest being alive and learn the secrets of transforming into the legendary Super Saiyan much like Kakarot. While he was annoyed to say the least the third-class fool couldn't be here to tell him every last detail he desired to know, he'd discover his own way without his help.

"This is rather impressive woman," Vegeta said as a gleam sparkled in his eye. "This will be of great use to me as I complete my goal. I think I'll take it."

"Hey buster! This isn't for you!" Bulma yelled as she marched towards the saiyan prince. "I made this so everybody can use it to train! You can't just claim it for your own!"

Vegeta snorted and turned his back away from her, "If you're talking about those pathetic excuses you call friends, then it'll just be a waste. They won't be able to handle this contraption without breaking a bone. Leave it in my care and I will use it to its full extent. You can just build another one of them if you're so adamant about having one for those weaklings."

Bulma growled in frustration at his statement. How could he just barge in and claim it as his? She wanted to provide assistance to her friends to defend and not an arrogant prince who only wanted it for his own selfish gain. For all she knew, once he finished with it, he could simply blow up Earth. Then again, if he really wanted to, he would've done so by now. There's also the fact that he was the next best bet if Earth was to be attacked. Besides, either way it went, with or without her consent, he would still make use of it, so who was she to say no? "Fine! You can have it. Just don't go overboard or you won't have anything to train in for a while."

With that said, Bulma left the saiyan prince to his own musings. Once she was out of earshot, he released a pleased chuckle. "Finally, I have something worthy of my title. I never expected such a pathetic race to have geniuses capable of designing a device of this caliber. It seems this planet is quite full of unexpected surprises. Perhaps I _do _have more use of this planet than I originally thought, especially when that woman and her father are in the picture."

A year ago, he had traveled to the mud-ball in hopes of obtaining the Dragon Balls to gain his immortality. Afterwards, he would simply destroy it as its use would have been over. When he went to Namek, he ran into his spawn that took his Dragon Ball away from him using a locator that was undoubtedly built by the female that was the bane of his existence while residing here. In the end, he was bested by the one he hated, but that was all in the past. He was one of the last remaining saiyans in existence, in which the boy was included into.

He couldn't deny the brat of his title as a saiyan, even if he was a half-breed. He displayed unbelievable power that could only belong to those of his race, but the fullest extents of his power was uncontrolled; only to be shown when he was angered. With the proper training, he could be of assistance in his glorious rise to power. A devious grin appeared on his lips as began to make his exit. He had a little visit to make; one that could be beneficial to both parties.

* * *

Back at the Son House, Gohan was hard at work finishing his studies for the day. Since the talk with his father after he arrived to King Kai's place, his mother gave him a bit of leverage that gave him a sigh of relief. She no longer demanded him to study the usual amount of time before his departure to Namek, but instead a shorter time so he could put in some training before the day was out. He was quite shocked in the beginning that she was allowing him to continue in martial arts though he greatly accepted the conditions.

However, the boy only wished his father could be living among them so he could help him train and improve his skills. It was definitely a learning experience every time he went out to meet Piccolo, but it just wasn't the same. He wished his father could be here so they could spend time with one another when there's not a threat right around the corner. Any chances of spending quality time were shot once his father decided to stay back and defeat Frieza. He couldn't be mad at him at all for doing such a thing. He really admired him for his undying bravery in the bleakest of situations. At least he could still speak to him from time to time while he was in other world, but it just wouldn't be the same.

The boy placed his pencil down on his Algebra book and stared at the ceiling. He had finally finished his work for the day and he knew it wouldn't be long until his mother came to check on his progress. He often wondered why his mother demanded he study so much for someone so young, but he realized she only wanted him to have the best education possible to have a successful future. However, her definition was quite bizarre as he was only 5 years old with an education level of at least an eighth grader. Most kids his age were still learning their letters and numbers, but he was at the stage of answering algebraic equations and learning other languages.

Sometimes he wished he lived the simpler life again when the days were peaceful and aliens weren't trying to conquer the world. At the same time, it brought a form of excitement to his life. If things had stayed the same, he'd probably still be studying for almost ten hours a day. Sure the life threatening battles weren't the pleasant part about the entire deal, but it did get him out the house for a while. However, he really did prefer not having so many threats right behind one another. It only brought pain and despair to his friends as well as a worried mother. He couldn't help but wonder at the end of the day about what was the next obstacle to be thrown at them.

"Gohan, have you finished your studies?" Chi-Chi questioned as she walked into the room, snapping the boy from his world of thoughts.

"Yes mom, it's all finished," he said handing her the book.

She flipped through the pages and smiled warmly as she glanced at her son's answers and the steps he used to find them. She couldn't deny the fact that her little boy was very bright. She truly hoped he would have a great future ahead of him. It wouldn't be long now until he could move onto the next level. Even then, she knew he wouldn't have many problems.

"Very good Gohan," she said, closing the book. She placed it neatly back in the stack and gave her only son a great smile. "I am so proud of you Gohan. You're doing a very excellent job in your studies and I want you to keep it up."

"Thanks mom, I'll keep doing my best," Gohan responded with an equal smile, similar to his father's.

"Now, you can go run along and play for a while," Chi-Chi said, leading him out the room. "Just make sure you're back before dinner, alright?"

"Yes ma'am," he said, exiting the house at an inhuman pace.

Chi-Chi could only sigh as she watched her son run off into the distance. She had a pretty good idea of where he was going and that was to his mentor Piccolo. She still bore a grudge against the Namekian warrior for taking him out into the wilderness for a year and got him mixed up into the craziness. He took away her little boy and made him face horrors that no four or five year old should have to witness. On the other hand, she noticed the confidence he gained since the events transpired. He had been standing up for himself, making his voice heard. It was quite the difference from the shy and timid boy she had raised.

She couldn't help but worry about his safety though in his continuation of martial arts. There was the likely chance he could get killed in battle much like his father, but she couldn't think that way. She had to remain positive. He was his father's son. He contained power that she only dreamed of having. He was capable of taking care of himself when danger lurked around the corner and she wanted to make sure it remained that way. Her only wish was that every time he went off to battle, he would return to her safely.

* * *

The young half saiyan raced through the woods in search of his mentor. He usually resided in the clearing not too far from his home as a way to stay close. The boy was happy Piccolo preferred to be somewhere near rather than in the city with the remaining members of his race. However, he had been a little curious as to why he never wanted to be around the other Namekians. Maybe it had to do with the fact he resided on Earth for a long period of time and didn't feel too much of a connection to them.

It a matter of minutes he arrived at the beautiful clearing where the rushing waterfall flowed into the gently moving river and the grass shined prettily in the sunlight. In front of the cliff responsible for the waterfall was Piccolo who looked like he was in one of his usual meditation exercises. His turban flowed delicately in the wind and his body remained still as he floated above the water in an Indian style fashion. He started to step closely towards Piccolo without making a sound, but he didn't make it far into his approach.

"Nice try kid, but I heard you coming from a mile away," the Namekian warrior stated in a matter of fact tone; without even so much as opening an eye.

Gohan chuckled nervously, "Nothing gets past you Piccolo."

"These ears aren't just for show," he stated as he opened his eyes to meet the gaze of his pupil. "My ears are far more sensitive than a human's so I am capable of hearing things from a longer distance."

"That's really neat Mr. Piccolo," Gohan responded with admiration. "Anyway, I was wondering if I could join you for a little while."

The Namek smirked inwardly hearing this question, "Sure kid."

Gohan quickly lifted his body off the ground and joined his mentor on the side in the same position as he was. He closed his eyes and began the process of clearing his mind of all the troubles and doubts that had been bother him.

Piccolo glanced from the corner of his eye as the boy slowly eased his mind. While he may not admit it out loud, he truly enjoyed the child's company. Gohan always desired to learn as much as he could from him in order to improve his skills. He craved the knowledge that could be beneficial to him in future battles so he could protect those he cared for. His heart was just as pure as his father's and that loving heart allowed this Namek to slowly change for the better.

In the beginning, he only desired to train the kid out of necessity to help ward of Vegeta and his partner. Over the course of that year, after he personally started the training, they had grown close to the point where he willingly sacrificed his life to save him. "_I still find it ironic. The child of my former enemy has become one of my closest friends. You're more like your father than you will ever realize kid and I hope it remains that way."_

The Namek closed his eyes once again to continue his meditation. The two remained silent the entire time. The only sounds heard were the chirping of the birds and the gushing of the waterfall. The pleasant setting was allowed the individuals to remain in peace without disruption.

The sun gradually began to set and as it did, Gohan opened his eyes. A slightly panicked expression formed on his face as he began to realize how long he had been away from home. "Aw man, mom's gonna kill me if I'm late."

Piccolo opened one eye and glanced over to the child, "You better get home kid. I don't need your mother hunting me down trying to find you."

Gohan nodded happily and waved as he began to soar higher into the sky, "See you later Mr. Piccolo."

The Namek gave a nod as the young half saiyan departed the area. In time, he sensed his pupil arriving at his house to meet his waiting mother, but that wasn't the only thing he detected. Elsewhere, another presence was quickly closing in on the Mt. Paozu area. The familiarity of the ki was enough to set off a slight growl from the Namek. It belonged to none other than Vegeta; a saiyan he preferred to be far away from this area.

He had been monitoring the male's status since the return to Earth. After learning of Goku's death, there had been an air of unrelenting anger hanging around the saiyan, but it quickly changed to one of meaning. It didn't take a genius to figure out Vegeta was happy Goku was dead for good, after he burned off some steam. This notion only worried him even further due to the fact he could easily destroy the planet for no particular reason. However, the saiyan had not done so. He could guess that the saiyan still had some plans for Earth; something he would have to keep an eye out for.

At this particular moment, he felt a drive behind the saiyan which contained high ambitions for the future. He was undoubtedly confident of his high status once more. If anyone were to challenge him to battle, they would perish at the end, so it would only be a suicide mission. However, that wasn't what concerned him the most right now. He could tell the saiyan was headed right in the direction of Gohan's house. If that's the case, he'd better check for reasons why he had traveled to this end.

A white aura burst around Piccolo's form and he zipped off into the skies to confront Vegeta.

* * *

A couple miles away, Vegeta sensed the familiar presence closing in on him. He wasn't surprised by the fact that the Namek was coming to halt him in his current mission. He had noticed he kept tabs on the boy whenever they were close. While he would normally enjoy showing the Namek his place, he had more important matters to handle.

In a matter of moments, he dropped to a halt and folded his arms over his chest as Piccolo came to a halt in front of him. The two warriors met each other's dark gazes, each one sure to stare the other down.

"What business do you have with Gohan?" Piccolo questioned after a moment of silence. He knew the saiyan didn't have any cruel intentions for his pupil at the moment, but he needed to know for sure. "I know for a fact that you didn't travel all this way for any small reason."

Vegeta had to admit that the Namek had more intelligence than he originally gave him credit for. "It's nothing you need to be concerned about and you can relax. I'm not going to kill him because if I wanted to, I would've done so by now."

Piccolo was still skeptical of Vegeta's motives, "That doesn't answer my question. What do you _really _want with the kid?"

The saiyan prince chuckled darkly, "If you must know, I plan to train the little brat to harness that hidden power of his. Even if he is a half breed, he contains saiyan blood and I am the only one that can teach him to fully utilize it. And you have no say in the matter. I can easily kill you, take the brat away, and destroy this forsaken planet."

The Namekian warrior tensed slightly as he weighed over his options. He was no fool. He knew exactly that Vegeta would follow out with his plans with or without his consent. He'd rather not be the cause of Earth's destruction, so he would have to permit Vegeta to train the child. He growled as he turned his back away from the saiyan, "Do what you want, but should any harm come to the kid, you _will _regret it."

The arrogant saiyan merely smirked as he blasted off into the distance, continuing onwards to his destination.

* * *

Back at the Son home, Gohan and his mother had finished up their dinner and now in the process of cleaning up the utensils. Sure enough, when he had returned, his mother had scolded him for coming back so late but she merely let him off with a warning this time. Should he come late again, he'd have to skip training for a few days and devote them to studying only.

As they completed the final task of drying the dishes, Gohan tensed in his spot. He sensed Vegeta's ki heading straight for them, leaving an uneasy feeling in his guts.

Chi-Chi noticed this and gave her son a worried glance, "Is something the matter sweetie?"

He nodded slowly as he edged to the door, "Yeah, Vegeta's on his way here."

The Son matriarch scrunched her face in disgust. She detested the saiyan as he had attempted to kill her son on multiple occasions. She refused to forgive him for his actions and hated the fact that Bulma let him reside at Capsule Corporation. He could easily catch them all off guard and kill everybody without the slightest bit of remorse. She wished that he would just leave that way they won't have to live in fear of an unexpected attack. "He has some nerve coming here! Who does he think he is? Why can't he just leave us alone already?"

Gohan remained silent as he opened the door and exited the house with his mother on his tail. The walked a few feet away from the house and awaited for his arrival. In seconds the saiyan landed, bearing a grin on his lips. He stared down the older saiyan, refusing to let up. He had to show the evil saiyan that he could not scare him no matter what.

"What're you doing here Vegeta?" the half saiyan questioned cautiously.

"I want the boy," he stated, cutting straight to the point. He continued to smirk darkly at the young boy. He was impressed by the boy's growing bravery in him; an important characteristic for those of the saiyan race. Gradually, he was growing impressed his acts and he knew in due time, he could have it at another level. "I plan to train you. Unlike that Namekian, I can show you how to understand your true potential. You are one of the last remaining saiyans and I simply refuse to let you remain a weakling any longer. I won't take no for an answer."

"Look here mister! You can't just come here demanding to take my son away!" Chi-Chi exploded in anger. "What gives you that right?! He is _my _son and you aren't bringing him anywhere. He has his studies to focus on and I won't let you ruin it!"

"Quiet woman! I am in no mood for your foolish games," Vegeta responded in an annoyed voice. He simply could not understand how Kakarot and his brat lived under this overbearing harpy. While she did have the fierceness of a saiyan female, her refusal of training was quite aggravating, but it's an insult to all saiyans alike. "This is for the boy to decide. I am merely offering him a chance to do something about his uncontrolled power. Should he continue in his outbursts, it could cause pain to those uninvolved with the battle. One day, he may actually kill someone close to him. What do you say Kaka-brat?"

Gohan's expression faltered. He hadn't been expecting this to happen. During the short time he knew Vegeta, the older saiyan had only wanted him dead. What made him change his mind? Was he actually serious about training him? Could there be truth to his words? These questions ran around in his mind as he was trying to sort out of confusion. _"Why does Vegeta want to change me? I thought he hated me? But, should I take the chance? I really do want to control my power but I don't think I can really trust him. This could be a plan to get rid of me without anyone else knowing. Then again, I can tell he's speaking the truth. I can't keep doing what I've done so far. After every time I attacked the bad guy, my power ran out. It only got me in bad situations so far and almost gotten myself killed. Then what if my mom is around and she gets caught in it? She'll get killed and it'll be my entire fault. So maybe I should train with Vegeta."_

"Since I'm feeling generous, I'll give you time to think," Vegeta stated, his gaze never faltering. "When you make up your mind, you know where to find me. It will only be a few hours each day, but they will be the most intense hours of your life."

With nothing else to say, Vegeta departed the duo to the large Capsule Corp building. He chuckled sinisterly as he departed the area with a triumphant grin on his face. He had already known he reeled in the child by planting insecurities in the boy's head. While his words were true, he enjoyed seeing the look of anguish on the brat's face.

Back at the Son residence, Chi-Chi was ranting about the nerve of Vegeta, but Gohan simply ignored her words. He was truly thinking of Vegeta's words and now considering his offer. While his mother may be angry now, she'd eventually calm down and understand his decision.

* * *

Vegeta stood in the middle of the gravity chamber wearing only black shorts, white shocks, and black shoes. He was going over the options and features of the ship's training capabilities. He had mentally noted the advice of the blue haired woman about starting off too fast. He'd have to start off at a reasonable level for the brat to keep up with for the time being. However, he would continue to train even after the brat leave that way he could keep his dominance over the boy's own strength.

He smirked when he heard a soft patter at the edge of the doorway, "You've made a wise decision brat. Now get ready for hell."

Gohan stood in the doorway wearing his purple gi and a serious expression upon his face. His eyes were brimmed with determination; ready to tackle the obstacles the saiyan would surely throw at him.

* * *

**A/n: I hoped you enjoyed this chapter and thanks to all who have reviewed so far. I have good plans for this story that will be seen in future chapters and things will begin to diverge even more from canon. Until next time**


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